Little White Chapel Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of Burbank, California

 
Little White Chapel Christian Church in Burbank received CIPLís Congregation of the Season award for Fall 2003. Through a shared commitment to conservation and inspired by what Rev. Ronald Degges calls Biblical ecology, LWC has made stewardship of Creation a guiding principle.

Despite its name, Little White Chapel is hardly a one-room church on a country road. This bustling house of worship is a full time community center, hosting a range of Burbank community organizations and programs. The facility operates an average of 12 hours a day most days of the week. All of that activity translates to high energy demand, which was a motivating factor in doing the energy conservation retrofits.

Inspirational Beginnings
The church had auspicious beginnings. In a nearly miraculous feat, several ministers built Little White Chapelís original facilities in two days. The year was 1941 and Pearl Harbor had just been bombed. The ministers were determined to provide a place of worship for the distraught community. Later that year, Hollywood took an interest in the church when it was featured in a John Wayne movie, “Operation Pacific.” Little White Chapel continues to be a favorite site for movie studios today.

LWC also examined its heating and cooling systems and realized that a significant amount of energy use could be cut through energy efficiency upgrades of these systems. Heat pump systems replaced older air-conditioners and ceiling fans were installed in many rooms. Timers are now used on their heating and cooling systems, which conserves energy by maintaining a consistent temperature.

Other changes at Little White Chapel include water conservation. The church is in the process of converting all of their old corrugated steel pipes to copper ones. The copper pipes are flexible during earthquakes, have a significantly longer life expectancy (100 years) and hardly leak, which saves water and prevents mold. Rev. Degges notes that the money saved with these pipes allows “economic resources to be used for other things.” The church also has an outdoor irrigation system operating on timers for the grounds, which include a memorial rose garden that honors women of the church who have passed.

All of the fairly low-cost retrofits at LWC add up to serious savings: about $4,000 annually in energy costs! Some of the savings will be used to invest in further improvements, including timing devices on sinks and toilets and a new, energy efficient heat pump system.

Rewards Are More than Financial
The energy retrofits made at LWC have translated not only into financial savings, but a deeper commitment by its members to stewardship of Creation and specifically the issue of global warming. Inspired by the Biblical passage “the Earth is the Lordís and the fullest thereof” Rev. Degges comments that “we are the Earthís caretakers and it is our responsibility as Godís people to care for what God has given us.” The strong support from parishioners has played a key role in the churchís ability to make such significant changes to its facilities.

“The congregation has been very responsive to the facility upgrades. And by their giving and funding patterns they have told the church leadership that they want to continue energy conservation measures,” said Rev. Degges.

Biblical Ecology
Describing his stewardship ethics as “Biblical ecology”, Rev. Degges notes that if an entire sermon isnít about protecting the earth, then several paragraphs are included. His efforts to protect Creation are driven by his strong belief in the interconnectedness of all beings.

From the Genesis story of Cain and Abel, ìam I my brotherís keeper?î Rev. Degges says that “yes, we are our brothersí and sistersí keepers and we have a responsibility to one another and we cannot shrug off our responsibilities. We are all responsible.”

Rev. Degges finds further inspiration in the New Testamentís Corinthians, Chapter 12. He says it “shows our oneness and unity with each other. We are all part of the one body, it gives a sense of unity, oneness and wholeness and we need to recognize that we are connected to each other.”

Members also learn about global warming and energy issues through educational materials often provided by CIPL, which are included in the churchís newsletters and bulletins. These help to round out their comprehensive approach to addressing global warming: education and action. Congratulations, Little White Chapel for your devotion to stewardship of Creation and your inspiring efforts to conserve our natural resources.